ww1collector Posted April 23, 2011 Share #1 Posted April 23, 2011 Zarochin, Joseph Rank: Private Serial Number: 33826996 Military Branch: Anti Tank Co.143rd Inf. 36th Div. Origin: Pennsylvania Date of Death: 1944-8-30 Rhone American Cemetery This is a great group to a soldier who fought through Italy only to die in the subsequent battles in France. Private Zarochin's group consists of his officially engraved posthumous Purple Heart and Silver Star, with their titled cases. This soldier's burial flag in its cardboard shipping box addressed to his home is part of the group. Also included are 4 pictures of the private and a 36th Division patch. On the 36th Division website , it states: "Again it was intensive training in amphibious tactics, and not without reason. For on August 11, 1944, the Regiment was loaded on ships and sailed out in to the Mediterranean Sea, rendezvousing at Sardinia, and surprising the Germans on August 15th, by landing on the Riviera of France on Green Beach. It is a matter of record that the Regiment was in such state of training that the entire combat elements were landed in 50 minutes. Resistance was initially unorganized and the Regiment pushed to St Raephael and Frejus. Exploiting the surprise achieved, the Second Battalion was joined by other units to form the Butler Task Force, and speeded northward into the Alpine Country. As soon as trucks came ashore, the balance of the Regiment was formed into another Combat Team and joined Task Force Butler in Sisteron that night. On August 22, one week after landing, the 143d Infantry captured Grenoble, 200 miles from the landing point. Such was the pattern set for Southern France. In the battle of Montelimar, the German Nineteenth Army, in mad flight toward the north, ran head on into the Butler Task Force. Holding the high ground on the east of the valley and Rhone River, the Division committed the 141st and 143d Infantry as the "plugs" in the Rhone River Bottleneck which contained the German Forces. Never before had fighting been so in the favor of the Regiment. From the build-up starting on the 22d of August by Butler Task Force until it was joined by the balance of the Division and the 3d Infantry Division the fighting raged until it was all over, literally, on the 30th. The German Nineteenth Army had been virtually destroyed. As a result, the enemy was not able to draw a defensive line until our forces had crossed the Moselle River." Private Zarochin was killed in action just 2 weeks after landing on the beaches of the Riviera. He is buried in the Rhone American Cemetary in Draguinon, France. Privare Zarochin's Silver Star Citation states: "JOSEPH ZAROCHIN, 33826996, Private, Antitank Company, 143rd Infantry Regiment, for gallantry in action on 23 June 1944 in Italy. Private Zarochin volunteered to join a bazooka team in an attempt to destroy enemy tanks which were delaying the advance of the friendly troops. He moved over 300 yards of open terrain in a flanking movement against one of the tanks. The bazooka failed to operate, and the tank opened fire with an 88mm cannon. When he and his companions attempted to reach a covered position, they were subjected to accurate machine gun fire. One of the men was wounded in both legs, and Private Zarochin valiantly remained with him while the third member of the team went for help. He stayed in the position under heavy enemy fire, ecouraging and comforting his wounded comrade, until a mortar squad laid a smoke screen over the area and an aid party located them. Entered service from Lansford, Pennsylvania" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted April 23, 2011 Share #2 Posted April 23, 2011 That's a very nice group. The history is excellent. Thanks for sharing and congratulations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottplen Posted April 23, 2011 Share #3 Posted April 23, 2011 That's a very nice group. The history is excellent. Thanks for sharing and congratulations. I agree with Jim!!!! :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Son Posted April 23, 2011 Share #4 Posted April 23, 2011 That's an interesting "Z". I haven't seen that one before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJohn#3RD Posted April 24, 2011 Share #5 Posted April 24, 2011 It is hard to beleive that the soldier survived the desperate situation with the tank in June only to die in what seemed a very loopsided victory for the American a little over 2 months later. Very interesting group and great research thanks for shareing. :salute: John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicjoy1945 Posted April 24, 2011 Share #6 Posted April 24, 2011 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Hey Dave !! For someone with "wwIcollector" as their user name, you sure do post a lot WWII groups !! :thumbsup: Nice grouping !! Vic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted April 24, 2011 Author Share #7 Posted April 24, 2011 Vic-I use to collect WW!-switched to WW2 as you can see. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicjoy1945 Posted April 24, 2011 Share #8 Posted April 24, 2011 Vic-I use to collect WW!-switched to WW2 as you can see. Dave Gotchya !! You're really inspiring me to get my butt in gear and dig into the collection as I literally have hundreds of PHs and gallantry groupings to fully research and post...just never enough time (or motivation) to sit down and just do it !! Great stuff...keep em coming !!! :thumbsup: Vic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belleauwood Posted April 25, 2011 Share #9 Posted April 25, 2011 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Hey Dave !! For someone with "wwIcollector" as their user name, you sure do post a lot WWII groups !! :thumbsup: Nice grouping !! Vic Dave's a traitor!!! - Had one of the best WW1 collections around! It does however, take him out of the mix. - Cheaper on me that way! DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicjoy1945 Posted April 25, 2011 Share #10 Posted April 25, 2011 Dave's a traitor!!! - Had one of the best WW1 collections around! It does however, take him out of the mix. - Cheaper on me that way! DJ Gotchya !! Yea...and now that we're on the subject where did all these posthumous WWII Purple Heart collectors come from !?! :w00t: It use to be Kurt, Frank, Tom, me and a handful of other guys not all that long ago it seems !!! Jeez...gotta have someone to sell our collections to I guess !?! Vic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sniprat Posted November 20, 2017 Share #11 Posted November 20, 2017 hello from southern france, this soldier Zarochin Joseph date of death 30 august 1944 Near ALIXAN and MONTELIER history: A column of 2 us vehicules : 2 dodge with antitank gun, in the first dodge one FFI soldier "andré touzery" to guide us soldiers A groupe of P-51 mustang fly over the area and attack the column ( the us vehicules did not put their signal flag on the hood ) the mens in the first dodge are dead: 3 us soldier ( zarochin joseph and 2 others friends ) and the FFI andre touzery, a bullet in the head the monument: 1 FFI and 3 Us soldiers our commemoration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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